Man charged in WA State Capitol break-in, vandalism

The man accused of breaking in and damaging property in the Washington State Capitol building has been charged.

Gunnar Schubert, 29, was charged by Thurston County prosecutors with second-degree burglary and third-degree malicious mischief for the incident on Oct. 5.

The backstory:

Schubert is accused of using hammers to break through an office window, gaining access to the State Capitol. Once inside, video surveillance captured him tearing down barriers, flags and signs.

Photos showed toppled over statues, smashed glass, and burnt items after starting a fire inside the state reception room. Authorities say the whole thing happened within about 10 minutes.

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Some of the damage at the Washington State Capitol Building. (Department of Enterprise Services)

Schubert was arrested on scene and later released on his own recognizance. Law enforcement stated they do not believe his actions were politically motivated, and that he may be dealing with mental health issues.

Charging documents state Schubert caused around $750 in damage.

Schubert is expected back in court on Friday, where he will enter a plea.

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The Source: Information in this story came from court documents filed in Thurston County Superior Court, the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.

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